Six new PGA Tour rules come into effect, covering fairway relief, pitch marks, and club repairs.
On Tuesday, the PGA Tour informed players of five new local model rules and added one more change concerning preferred lies. This brings a total of six new rules starting next week at the season opener, the Sony Open in Honolulu, Hawaii. Steven Rintoul, Vice President of Rules and Officiating for the PGA Tour, shared with golf.com that these are \”good, sensible outcomes for the game of golf at the highest level.\” He noted that these new local model rules, approved by USGA and R&A effective January 1, 2026, continue the modernization process of the Rules initiated in 2019.
Below we present the new rules and local model rules along with the reasons behind these decisions:
New Rule Clarifies Penalties for Unintentional Ball Movement
According to Rule 9.4b, a player receives a penalty stroke if they move their stationary ball and fail to replace it before their next stroke, even if they were unaware the ball had moved or could have moved. The player is not considered to have played from the wrong place (Rule 14.7a – two penalty strokes) if it is later found they caused the ball to move. However, if the player noticed the ball moved and does not replace it, playing from the new spot incurs the general penalty under Rule 14.7a. Similarly, if it is later revealed the player moved the ball but wrongly thought they did not have to replace it, the general penalty applies.
This rule arose from an incident involving Shane Lowry at the 2025 Open Championship in Royal Portrush, where during a practice swing at the 12th hole he slightly moved his ball without realizing. After the round, officials reviewed TV footage and imposed a two-stroke penalty after thorough discussion. Lowry found the penalty difficult to accept but accepted it without dispute.
Penalty-Free Relief Now Allowed When Ball Lies in Another Player’s Pitch Mark
The next rule change addresses when a player’s ball rests in another player’s pitch mark. Previously, relief without penalty was only granted when the ball lay in the player’s own pitch mark. Now, per Rule 16.3b, a player may receive penalty-free relief if an official determines the ball lies in a pitch mark below ground level caused by another player’s stroke. Repaired pitch marks, whether intentional or accidental, do not qualify for relief regardless of repair quality. For example, a mark fixed with a club, other object, or foot, or a pitch mark still visible after groundskeeping, is considered repaired.
Due to repeated situations including one involving Shane Lowry again at the 2025 Open Championship—where officials